


The Folklore Of Alternia: An Oral History

by AceyEnn



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-07
Updated: 2015-01-07
Packaged: 2018-03-06 12:03:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3133790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceyEnn/pseuds/AceyEnn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of three Alternian folktales, as told by three young trolls to two young humans.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Folklore Of Alternia: An Oral History

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mericorn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mericorn/gifts).



**Alternian Folklore: An Introduction**

  
_Collected by Rose Lalonde and Jade Harley, With Additional Contributions by Feferi Peixes, Aradia Megido, and Kanaya Maryam_   


 

**Contents**

  1. Alternian Folklore: An Introduction (Lalonde, Harley)

  2. The Little Seadweller (Peixes)

  3. Death’s Handmaid (Megido)

  4. Rapunz Eletus (Maryam)

  5. Conclusion (Lalonde, Harley)




 

**Alternian Folklore: An Introduction**

Ever since first meeting the trolls, my associate--

 

friend!!! why are you calling me your associate, this is not some big formal thing!

 

...Ah, sorry, Jade. I’m so used to writing more formal papers these days. Ever since first meeting the trolls, my friend Jade Harley and I have set out to learn as much about troll culture as possible, largely through oral histories passed down by those who survived the destruction of their race.

 

and what better way to learn about a culture than through their mythology? :D

 

Indeed. As such, three of our informants--

 

our FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

...Right. Three of our Alternian friends have volunteered to each share a bit of folklore from their planet. I for one feel this will be a valuable insight into their culture, one that will allow us to learn more about the values and beliefs that permeated their day-to-day lives.

 

Jade, would you be so kind as to press play on my audio recorder?

 

heehee, sure thing! <3

 

 

* * *

 

 

**The Little Seadweller**

_As told by Feferi Peixes_

 

S)(-ELLO! My name is Feferi Peixes, and--

 

No need to introduce yourself, Feferi. I’m going to be writing this down anyway. Rest assured, you will be credited.

 

)(ee)(ee, sorry aboat t)(at! It’s a reflex for me!

 

That is perfectly fine.

 

So I’m assuming I am supposed to tell my c)(osen story now? 380

 

Correct. “The Little Seadweller,” was it?

 

Yep! It’s my FAVORIT-E!

 

Wonderful. I cannot wait to hear more, Feferi.

 

W)(ale then, I suppose I s)(oald start! 38)

 

Once upon a time, t)(ere lived a young seadweller. S)(e was beautiful and cunning, but unfortunately for )(er, s)(e was also a bit too curious for )(er own good!

 

In t)(ese days, it was FORBIDD-EN for seadwellers and landdwellers to even interact. W)(ile landdwellers were not permitted in the ocean, seadwellers were likewise forbidden from approac)(ing t)(e s)(ores! But the little seadweller t)(oug)(t t)(ose rules were reely silly, and so one day, at t)(e tender age of six sweeps, s)(e decided to venture up to t)(e surface.

 

S)(e hid her gills and fins wit)( a scarf, so as to walk amongst t)(e landdwellers undetected. After all, s)(e would )(ave likely been culled ot)(erwise! S)(e even went so far as to don t)(e sort of rags a lowblood mig)(t wear. T)(e less suspicion s)(e aroused, t)(e betta!

 

During )(er adventures on the surface, s)(e met a young landdweller--a blueblooded female, to be precise! T)(e two young ladies spent )(OURS c)(atting, but t)(e seadweller knew full well t)(at the blueblood could never know s)(e was not a landdweller )(erself. It would be a DISAST-ER! 38(

 

T)(e seadweller visited the blueblood several times, and eventually developed flus)(ed eelings for )(er. In )(er desperation, s)(e ventured to the )(ive of anot)(er seadweller--a wicked witc)(, renowned all across t)(e ocean for )(er spells--and requested that s)(e be turned into a landdweller )(erself, one of t)(e same caste as t)(e object of )(er affections. T)(e witc)( agreed, but wit)( one caveat--t)(e little seadweller )(ad to give up )(er voice.

 

S)(e weig)(ed )(er options, and agreed!

 

T)(e witc)( performed )(er spell, and t)(e little seadweller soon found )(ers)(ellf was)(ed as)(ore. S)(e couldn’t )(ave been )(appier, knowing t)(at it had ACTS)(OALLY WORK-ED! W)(y, even t)(e fact t)(at s)(e could no longer speak seemed to be of no conc)(sequence.

 

T)(e former seadweller made )(er way to the blueblood’s )(ive, and was positively )(-EARTBROK-EN to see t)(e ot)(er gill kissing someone else! S)(e )(ad abandoned )(er privileged life as royalty, even giving up )(er voice, and it was all for naut.

 

-Embittered by w)(at s)(e perceived as t)(e blueblood’s betrayal, s)(e broke down t)(e walls to )(er former crus)(‘s )(ive, and proceeded to kill bot)( t)(e blueblood and )(er lover. Of course, t)(is was a sos)(elly acceptable response by Alternian standards, but still pretty -EXTR-EM-E. T)(ere was no way s)(e could )(ide from the blueblood’s fronds and quadrantmates, s)(e was s)(ore--t)(ey would s)(orely tear )(er limb from limb!

 

In )(er despair and desperation, t)(e ex-seadweller t)(rew )(ers)(ellf back into t)(e ocean, w)(ere s)(e drowned.

 

It is said t)(at if you listen V-ERY closely at t)(e break of dawn, you can still )(ear t)(e little seadweller splas)(ing about, unable to call for )(elp. I suppose t)(e moral of t)(e story is t)(at you s)(oaldn’t give everyt)(ing up for someone w)(o mig)(t not even deserve you, but I’m also not s)(ore t)(at’s relevant to t)(e subject at )(and! 38/

 

I’d say it’s quite relevant, actually. The morality of your culture is quite intriguing, and it’s always interesting to see what aspects of your culture parallel various human cultures. Thank you for your time, Feferi.

 

NO PROBL---EM! 38D

 

 

* * *

 

 

**Death’s Handmaid**

_As told by Aradia Megido_

 

thank you for having me, jade!

 

youre welcome!! :D im glad you could make it, i know youve been really busy with your archeology stuff lately…

 

oh im always willing to take time out to help a friend!

 

plus ive little to worry about in terms of time

 

i am _maid_ of the stuff :D

 

you are such a dork :P

 

so you wanted me to share a story, correct? perhaps something along the lines of a traditional alternian fairy tale?

 

thats right!

 

wonderful! :D i have just the story

 

tell me!!!!!

 

okay! :)

 

there was once a young jadeblood who decided against all logic and precedent to become a lusus of sorts to a rustblooded wiggler

 

the story never explains why she abdicated her duties as a caretaker of the mother grub so its probably not worth asking

 

anyway she loved her adopted charge dearly, and cared for her to the best of her ability! but sadly, trolls acting as lusi was quite the taboo, and fleeing from the brooding caverns meant she was rather lacking in material possessions...which of course made raising the wiggler harder!

 

she decided that the next evening she went out, she would request assistance from the first troll she saw

 

again the story never explains why she made such a terribly foolish decision

 

as it turns out however, the first troll she encountered was a figure well-known in alternian mythology, a demoness believed to be death’s handmaid

 

at the time i first read this story i thought she was simply a mythical being but it turns out she was quite real 0_0

 

regardless, the jadeblood asked the demoness to assist her in raising her charge! somewhat surprisingly, the demoness agreed, and for much of the young rustbloods childhood she performed her duties admirably

 

on the childs sixth wriggling day she led her out into a dense forest, telling her that she had a gift for her

 

the gift turned out to be an exceedingly toxic plant, and the demoness explained that the young rustblooded girl was to become a killer, one who would stir up a great revolution against her imperious condescenscion! naturally the girl was a bit hesitant, but she trusted the demoness, and accepted her terms

 

of course as it turns out there was a catch

 

there always is!

 

the young girl discovered that she could tell, at a glance, when someone would die, as well as how they would meet their demise

 

she was the one responsible distressingly often!

 

despite alternias violent culture, the girl found her burden to be too much to bear, and attempted to take hew own life

 

and sadly the attempt was a success :(

 

as she lay dying, the demoness--death’s handmaid--appeared before her, kneeling down by her and cradling her in her arms

 

it is said that the last thing the demoness said to her was that she was sorry for what she had done, that she was merely following orders, but of course thats preposterous

 

and thats the end of that story!

 

wow aradia that was pretty sad!

 

are all your cultures stories this depressing?? :/

 

many of them are yes

 

but from what ive read of your fairy tales and folklore, yours can be just as dark!

 

maybe even darker in some cases

 

hehe, i suppose you have a point there

 

you should read the original versions of cinderella, i think youd enjoy them!!! :D

 

im sure i would! thanks for the recommendation :)

 

and thanks for having me!

 

any time!!!!!! <3

 

 

* * *

 

**Rapunz Eletus**

_As told by Kanaya Maryam_

 

Hello, Kanaya.

 

Oh Hello Rose

 

This Is Part Of Your Project Is It Not

 

Yes, it is. Though it’s not entirely my project. Jade’s been putting in her fair share of work as well.

 

And of course, all of you have been a major help.

 

Well Either Way Im Glad To Hear The Project Is Going Well

 

I Take It You Would Like Me To Contribute As Well

 

Ive Always Been Quite Fond Of Fairy Tales

 

That would be wonderful.

 

:)

 

Our Story Begins With The Hatching Of A Young Female Troll Who Was Given The Rather Ridiculous Name Of Rapunz Eletus

 

Having Heard Your Earth Rapunzel Story I Am Convinced That This Was Some Sort Of Bad Joke On The Part Of The Witch Who Kidnapped Her

 

Did I Mention That Part With The Witch

 

I Dont Think I Mentioned That Part

 

Regardless Young Rapunz Was Cursed By The Witch Who Kept Her Captive To Have Hair That Grew Extremely Rapidly To A Truly Absurd Length

 

Wow Now That I Think About It This Story Is Ridiculous And Not Actually Very Good Im Sorry I Remembered It Being Far More Enthralling And Far Less Stupid

 

Im Just Not Feeling This Its Too Silly

 

It’s fine, Kanaya. Don’t worry about it.

 

* * *

 

**Conclusion**

 

wow…

 

goddammit those were exactly like our own fucking fairy tales!!!

 

There are definite similarities, yes.

 

no rose theyre THE SAME FUCKING STORIES!!!!!!!!

 

Alright, yeah, they basically are.

 

I’ll admit I was expecting a lot more out of this little project, but I think we’ve at least learned that some themes are common across cultures.

 

and some basic plotlines :/

 

Those too.

 


End file.
